Troops on outskirts of LTTE HQ: Army Chief

The Security Forces have advanced to the outskirts of Kilinochchi, the Army Chief Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka said yesterday.

“Our forces are around four kilometres (2.5 miles) from Kilinochchi town. In fact we can see some of the buildings,” Lieutenant General Fonseka said. He also said the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, was “now a caged animal.”

“Our military campaign won’t stop until we liberate our motherland from the LTTE,” Fonseka added. Kilinochchi, is where the LTTE have hosted visiting foreign dignitaries and peace brokers. They maintain their police headquarters, courts and own bank there. Fonseka, who was speaking at a book launch in Colombo, did not say when he expected the town to fall. But he suggested a fresh offensive would begin in the coming days.

“We will fire the first shots towards Kilinochchi town next week,” he said.

Foreign aid workers who evacuated the North last week have confirmed that the fighting has drawn steadily closer to Kilinochchi.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry reported that 36 Tigers and one soldier were killed in the latest fighting across the North, where Government troops are attacking the LTTE on several fronts.

According to Ministry figures, the Tamil Tigers have lost some 6,898 fighters since January. Military authorities say 673 soldiers have also died during the same period.

COLOMBO, Thursday AFP